Business

Apple Store Being Built Above 15th-Century Spanish Ruins

Madrid's new Apple store won't just be harboring your run-of-the-mill iPhones and iPads in its basement. According to The Verge, the store is being built right on top of 15th century hospital ruins.

While constructing the basement of the store, workers discovered walls belonging to the foundations of an old hospital. According to El País, the walls belonged to the Buen Suceso hospital, which was located next to a church of the same name. Both buildings were then demolished in 1854.

The church ruins, which were discovered in 2009 while building a light rail station, were put on display and now sit under a glass mezzanine in the station. The hospital ruins, however, won't receive the same treatment.

According to Jaime Ignacio Muñoz, the director of the Madrid heritage department, project managers briefly considered putting the ruins behind glass panels as well, but then decided against it because of a "lack of great interest from a visual point of view. It’s just foundations. The information that they suggest about the shape of the walls is more important,” Muñoz told El País.

However, the ruins will be protected. Apple's store floor will be build above the ruins, and the city is directing the corporation to trace the ruins' outlines on the store floor, thus showing where the structure is located below.

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